Typewriter



I 1,627,016 4May 3, 1927, s. A. DEAN TYPEWRITER Filed Nov. 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l as 1,1%; s* l ZI/7624324 JEWA/FEAN S. A. DEAN TYPEWRITER Ma a, 1927.

Filed Nov. 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. A. DEAN TYPEWRITER May 3 1927.

Filed Nov. 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNE v/ f May 3, s A DEAN TYPEWRITER Filed NOV. 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 6l i l F16/Q /Z .fm/enfer 55m/ARD A DEAN ATTORNE P15 Patented May 3, 1927.

SEWARD A. DEAN, F HASTIN GS, MINNESOTA,

ASSIGNOR TO DEAN CARD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

TYPEWRITER.

Application led November 22, 1923. Serial No, 676,339.

This invention relates to improvements in typewriters designed particularly for writing on cards or other flat sheets of paper.

The objects I have in view ai'e first to provide a typewriter having each key bar provided with two solid type, the bars being so mounted and arranged that either type may at will be arranged to make a full faced impression upon a sheet held by the flatplaten of the machine; second, to provide a typewriter having a flat platen to .hold the sheet which is to be printed upon, said platen being so supported that it may readily be swung into printing position, or out of such l5 position to permit free access to the face of the platen for removing or supplying sheets thereto.

The invention consists generally in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 1-1 of Fig. 3 of a typewriter embodying my invention, some of the mechanisms which do not differ materially from those employed in standard machines beingl omitted, this view showing the parts in position to have the type nearest the end of the type-bar actuated to print a full and fair impression upon a card or sheet held upon said platen.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the type bar supportadJusted so as to cause a printing movement of the type bar to bring the other type on the same lever into printing contact with the card or sheet held by the platen. Figure 3 is a rear elevation and partial section on line 3-3 of Figure 2, the parts of the mechanism to the right of the platen in Figure 2 being omitted.

Figure 4 is an end elevation and partial section showing the platen out of printing positionxand in position for having a card or sheet applied thereto yor removed therefrom. v

Figure 5 is a section through the platen on the line 5 5 of Figure 3, 'showing the platen operating shaft in elevation;

.Figure 6 `is a plan view of the machine looking upward towards the bottom thereof;

Figure I is a detail showing the arrangev turned by the key ment of the spring for counterbalancing the weight of the platen;

Figure 8 is an elevation of a ortion of the platen showing the clip for holiding the card or sheet thereon.

Figure 9 is a detail of the construction of the cli for holding the material upon the face o the platen.

Figure 10 is a rear elevation on a smaller scale, of the typewriter with some of the parts omitted;

Figures 11 and 12 are details of the platen carriage.

In the drawings, 1 represents the main frame of the machine, preferably formed of a suitable casting having a substantially rectangular horizontal base outline, (Figure 6), and provided at the rear of each side with an upright pedestal or standard 2 and at about the vertical center of each side with an upwardly and rearwardly projecting standard 3. The tops of the standards 3 are preferably connected b a suitable cross bar 4, and the rear edges ofy the standards 2 are preferably formed integrally with the cross bar, 5. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, this arrangement furnishes a substantially U-shaped space between the adjacent rstandards 2 and 3, thereby permitting easy access to the platen for manipulation of the same, as hereinafter described.

Arrangedbetween the standards 3 is a frame 6, having lugs 7 to which the type bars 8 are plvoted. Each of said type b-ars carries two solid type 9 and 10. The frame 6 is supported upon the standards 3 of the main frame of the machine by the links 11 and 12, said links being pivoted -at 13 and 14 to the standards 3, and at 15 and 16 to the frame 6. When the 4frame is in its usual or normal position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the upper type 9, on the type bar 8, is in working position in relation to the platen, and this type 9 will strike squarely upon the face of the platen, or upon any work arranged thereon, each time one of the type keys of the machine is o erated.

When it is desired to print rom the other type on the same bar, as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, 6 is changed, the links 11' and 12 being lever 17, and the-connections 18 and 19, (Figure 4), which connect said lever with 'one of the links .11. Bydepressing the key lever 17 the links` 11 and the position ofthe framek 12 are turned on their pivots, and the frame 6 is moved upward and inward towards the platen` hereinafter described. The frame 6, and all of the type bars carried by it, are moved from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2.

It will be seen that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1 the operation of any key moves the corresponding type, bar 8 from the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2. When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1 the type 9, at the end of the type bar 8, will strike squarely and fairly agalnst the platen 20, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1. When the frame 6 is moved to the position shown in Figure 2 the pivots of the type bars are moved upward and also moved slightly inward, towards 'the platen 20, to the position shown in Figure 2. In this position the type 10 on the type bar, this being the type nearest the 'pivot of 'the bar, strikes squarely against the platen .or material placed thereon as shown in Flgure 2.

I am thus enabled, with this simple arrangement of a movable frame carrying the type bars, to provide for the use of two solid type upon each type bar, and print with a full faced impression from either of said type upon material, such as a card or piece of paper held upon the Hat surface of said platen. Y

I have provided, for moving the frame 6 upward and inward from the positlon shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2, the operating lever 17 having a key or button 17 thereon, and, as shown, have connected this lever to one of the frame supporting.

links 11 (Figure 4). I consider this a preferred form of construction for this part of the mechanism. I do not, however, limit myself to any particular details of mechanism for moving the frame 6 into its upper and inward position in which the type bars 8 are adapted to print from the lower type 10.

In the preferred construction shown the operator continues, during the printing operation, to press down upon the button 17'.. and lever 17, thereby holding the frame 6 and 'the type bars carried by said frame in the. upper position, shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. As soon as the pressure is released from the key 17 the weight ot' the frame 6 will cause it to drop backinto its original position shown in full lines Figure 1 of the drawings.

The lugs 7 to which the type bars 8 are pivoted (Figure 1) are all preferably secured to a transversely extending curved bar 21 having its ends connected to the frame 6. The type bars are preferably each operated by means of a key lever 27 having a key 28. a connecting rod 29, pivoted lever 30, link 31, pivoted bell crank lever 32, and rod 33. Therefore, downward pressure on the key 28 through the connections indicated turns the type bar 8 upon its pivot, and causes one or the other of the type 9 or 10 to make a fair and square impression upon paper or other suitable material placed upon the platen 20.

When the type bar 8, and type 9 and l0 are not in action they fall back into the normal position shown in full lines in Figure 1 of the drawings, in which the type bar 8 is shown, resting upon a usual type bar support 34 carried by standards 35 secured to the movable frame 6. By this means the type bars are normally supported in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. and when the frame 6 is in the position shown in this figure of the drawings the type 9 is ositioned to make a fair impression on the inking ribbon 36'pressing the same against the card or sheet held upon the platen.

I have indicated at 36 the position of the inking ribbon at the time the typeA is being pressed against the same, and I have indicated one of the ribbon spools at 37 in Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the drawing. I havel also shown a rod 38 for supporting the ribbon spool 37. As no claim is made to the means for supporting and moving the inking ribbon I have not thought it necessary to illustrate or describe the means for feeding the ribbon.

Suitable means may also be provided 'for raising the ribbons into position to receive the impression from the type. Any suitable means may be used for this purpose. I have here shown a slide 39, partly broken away, operated byva rod 40, connected to a lever 41 that in turn is connected by a rod 42 to a lever 43, that is operated by the movement of any type key.

The parts are so arranged that the face of each type when it strikes the platen, or the ribbon and paper supported thereon, is practlcally parallel with the face of the platen. This is true Whichever of the type on a type bar comes in Contact with and makes the impression upon the paper or card supported on the platen. y

The platen-20 is supported upon a carriage 44 consisting mainly of a plate (Figures 5, 11 and-12) provided with ways 45 engaged by laterally projecting flanges 46 on rails 47 extending in an upand down direction on the rear face of the platen. The rails 47 are provided with rack teeth 48 (Flgure 3) -and engage pinions 49 on a shaft 50 mounted in bearings 51 that are supported on the carriage 44. A suitable coil spring 52 is arranged in a case 53, one end of the spring being secured to said case and the other end to 'the' shaft 50. As the shaft 50 is provided with the inion 49 engaging the rack 48 on the p aten 20, the

I designate the spring 52 is put under tension when the platen is lowered. The spring tends to lift the platen, counter-balancing it and holding it in any position to which it is moved. This arrangement prevents the platen from dropping by gravity, and as the platen is substantially counterbalanced it is easily raised or lowered.

The tops of the pedestals or standards 2 are preferably horizontal at their forward portions and are beveled off at the rear. Arranged above said standards, and resting thereon, is a frame consisting of upright end plates 54 connected by horizontal bars 55 and 56. The ends of the bars 55 and 56 may be secured to the plates 54 in any suitable manner. I have here shown the plate 55 provided at its ends with :flanges 57 that are suitably connected to the plates 54, and I have shown the plate 56 connected to the plate 54 by brackets 58.

The frame comprising the upright plates 54 and the horizontal bars 55 and 56, which platen carriage supporting frame.y is pivotally connected to the main frame 1 of the machine by upright swinging bars 59, preferably mounted upon pivots 60 upon the inner walls of the frame 1, near ine lower part thereof, each bar being pret'-v erably provided at its upper end with a horizontal arm 61, connected to the plate 54 by screws 62. The inner face of each standard 2 is preferably provided with an inclined abutment63 (Figure 4), and the swinging bars 59 rest against these abutments when the frame is in position for holding the platen in printing position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The standards 2 are preferably provided with shoulders 64 agalnst which the bars 59 rest when the frame is swung backward, as indicated in Figure 4, to move the platen out of printing position, and into position to permit ready access to the face thereof.

The Cplaten supporting carriage 44 is mounte upon said swinglng frame preferably by grooved wheels 65 arranged in brackets 66 upon said carriage, said wheels engagmg I prefer to provide the carriage with grooved wheels 68 mounted in brackets 69 projecting from said` carriage, said wheels being arranged between stationary rods 70 and 71, carrled by said platen carriage supporting frame (Figure 1). I also prefer to provide a plate 72 securedto the bracket 66 and projecting below the rod 67 thereby preventing said carriage from lbeing lifted from said rod.

With this arrangement of the swinging carriage supporting frame, the transversely movab e carriage, and the vertically movable platen `mounted upon said carriage, it will be, seen that the platen may be raised or lowered, and moved horizontally with the a stationary bar 67 on s aid frame. f

carriage either to the right or left, and that the platen may be swung forward into printing position, when it may hold a card or sheet of paper in position to be printed upon by either type 9 or type 10 upon any of the printing levers. The carriage may be swung backward with the movable carriage supportingframe into/the position shown in Figure 4, when the entire front of the platen will be exposed, as shown in Figure 4, and ready access may be had to the Jface of the platen for the purpose of removing a card or sheet therefrom or inserting a card or sheet.

n I have shown the platen carriage 44 provided with a ratchet bar 73, which may be of ordinary construction, and I provide the carriage with the usual typewriter carriage spring which is preferably connected to the bracket 66, for moving said carriage from gight to left according to the usual practice 1n standard t pewriters. I also provide, in connection with the ratchet bar 73, an escapement 75, that may be of an preferred construction, connected by a rod 6 to a pivoted bar 77, a spring 78 being provided to hold said escapement in connection with the ratchet bar, and a rod 79 being provided that connects with a pivoted lever 80 arranged to be operated in the usual manner by any of the keys, or by the space bar of the machine. The pivot 81 between the rod 79 and the lever 80, is in line with the pivots 60 of the carriage supporting frame, so that said escapement may be operated irrespective of the osition that the platen may occupy, whet er it is in printing position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or in completely retracted position, as shown in Figure 4, or in any intermediate position.

I- may also provide the machine with key operated mechanism for backward, or left to right, movement of the platen, and with suitable tabulating mechanism, it being necessary onl that the pivots between the keyoperated evers and the connecting devices lUU for such mechanisms, be located in line withl the pivots 60 of the carriage supporting4 rame, so that the movement of said frame will not interfere with the operation of said devices. I have indicated in Figure 6 of the drawings a key lever 82 that maybe pro-t vided for operating a back shift of the car riage Vand platen, and a key lever 83, that may be connected with a tabulating device, and I have indicated that the pivotal connection between each of these levers and the device to be operated thereby is in line with the pivot 81 of the escapement, and with the pivot 60 of the carriage supporting frame.

with suitable knobs 84 either one of which may be grasped by the operator for the purpose of turning the shaft 50 and the gear wheel 49, to nwe or lower the platen,

I. prefer to provide the shaft 5G at its ends Any suitable means may be employed for clipping or holding the sheet of paper to be printed upon against the face of the platen. I have here shown, at the left side of the platen, a clip consisting of a frame secured to the platen, preferably near the upper left hand corner thereof, (see Figure 8). This frame has a series of dogs 91 pivoted therein. A plunger 92 is arranged to bear against the rearwardly projecting arm 93 of each dog. Each plunger is pressed forward against the dog by a spring 94 suitably arranged in the frame 90, one of the plungers 92 and springs 94 being preferably provided for each dog 91. rllhe ends of the dogs project over, and are adapted to press against, the face of the platen near the edge thereof. A cam shaft 95 is pivoted to the frame 90 and bears against the arm 93 of each dog. This shaft is provided with an operating handle 96, so that by rotating the cam shaft by means of the handle 96, all of the dogs are raised, or moved away from the face of the platen, and paper, or a card, may be placed under the ends of the dogs. -When the handle 96 is released said dogs will, by the action of the springs 94, clamp the card or paper firmly upon the face of the platen.

I do not limitmyself to the details of the construction her'ein shown, as the same may be varied in many particulars without departing from my invention.

l claim as my invention:

l.' A typewriter comprising a housing including rigidly connected transverse front and rear portions with an intervening space, a flat platen Isupported in the intervening space of the housing, a feed mounting for the plat-en oscillative on the rear transverse portion of the housing and operative to move the platen to and from the front transverse portion of the housing, and type bar mechanisni on the front transverse portion of the housing to coact with the platen when the latter is moved toward said front transverse portion.

2. A typewriter comprising a housing including rigidly connected transverse front and rear portions with an intervening space, the transverse front and rear portions having their inner transverse sides rearwardly inclined toward their upper parts, a fiat platen supported in the intervening space of the housing and rearwardly 'inclined toward its upper part, a feed mounting for the inclined platen oscillative on the rear trans-4 verse portion of the housing and operative to move the inclined platen to and from the front transverse portion of the housing, and type bar mechanism on the front transverse portion of the housing to coact with the inclined platen when the latter is moved toward said transverse portion.

3. A typewriter comprising a housin including a horizontal base and U-shape upright sides providing rigidly connected transverse front and rear portions with an intervening space open through the sides and top of said housing, the legs of said U- shaped sides having the inner edges of their legs merged at their lower parts and rearwardl inclined toward their upper parts, a flat platen supported in the space between the front and rear portions and rearwardly inclined toward its upper part, a feed mounting supporting therplaten in its inclined position and oscillative on the rear transverse portion of the housing to move the platen to and from the front transverse portion of the housing, and type bar mechanism on the front transverse portion of the housing to coact with the inclined platen when the latter is moved toward said transverse portion.

4. A typewriter comprising a frame including a horizontal bottom portion, upstanding front and rear portions, the rear portions being spaced from the front portions, a flat platen, means for feeding the platen vertically and horizontally in the space between said front and rear upstanding portions, a frame supported by the front upstanding portion, type bars each having a plurality of type pivoted in said last mentioned frame, means for moving said last. mentioned frame for properly locating the bars to print with either type, and key levers and connections in the bottom portion of the frame for operating the type.

5. A typewriter comprising a frame including a horizontal bottom portion, upstanding front and rear portions, the rear portions being spaced from the front portions, a vertically inclined flat platen, means for yfeeding the platen vertically and hori zontally in the space between said front and rear upstanding portions, a frame supported by the front upst-anding portion, type bars each having a plurality of type pivoted in said last mentioned frame, means for moving sald last mentioned frame for properly 1ocating the bars to print with either type, and key levers and connections in the bottom portion of the frame for operating the type. 6. A typewriter comprising a main frame including a horizontal bottom portion with substantially U-shaped portions on either side, a platen extending between the legs of the U-shaped portions reciprocable to feed the work bothvertically and'horizontally, a frame for supporting the platen, and a pivoted support for the platen frame permitting said platen frame and platen to be shifted in the hollow between the U-shaped portions from one leg portion toward the other to expose the typewriter work sheet.

7. A typewriter comprising a main frame includin a horizontal bottom portion with substantially U-shaped. portions on either side, a vertically inclined iat platen extending between the legs of the U-sha ed portions reciprocable to feed the work oth vertically and horizontally, a frame for suporting the platen, and a pivoted support lor the platen frame with its pivot in the horizontal bottom portion and extending above the U-shaped portion, permittin said platen' frame and platenyto be shifted in the hollow between the U-shaped portionsfrom one leg portion toward the other to expose the typewriter work sheet.

8. A typewriter comprising a main frame including a horizontal bottom portion with front and rear upstanding portions on either side, a platen extending between the front' y and rear upstanding portions, and reciprocable to feed the work both vertically and horizontally, a platen frame above said rear upstanding portions, and a pivoted support for the laten frame, permitting the same to be shited in the hollow between the front and rear upstanding portion from one portion toward the other to expose the typewriting work sheet.

9. A typewriter comprising a main frame includinv a horizontal bottom portion with front and rear upstanding portions on either side, a platen extending between the front and rear upstanding portions, and reciprocable to feed the work both vertically and horizontally, a platen frame above said rear upstanding portions, pivoted type bars supported on the front upstanding portion, means to shift the pivots of said bars, and a pivoted support for the platen frame, permitting the same to be shifted in the hollow between the front and rear upstanding portion from one portion toward the other to expose the typewriting work sheet.

In Witness whereof, Ihave hereunto set my hand this 30th day of October 1923.

SEWARD A. DEAN. 

